In 1835, an expedition of U.S. Dragoons set out to survey the land that would eventually become Iowa, traveling along the Des Moines River and documenting the landscape they encountered. Nearly two centuries later, historian Kevin Mason retraced that same journey on foot, following the river and uncovering the many layers of Iowa’s environmental and cultural history along the way.
Mason joins to talk about his book Retracing the Dragoon Trail in Iowa: Environmental Transformation along the Des Moines River, and how his modern-day expedition offers new insight into how the region has changed over time.
Guests:
- Kevin Mason, rural and environmental historian, University of Northern Iowa
